Purina Tidy Cats Hooded Litter Box System, BREEZE Hooded System Starter Kit Litter Box, Pellets & Pads

This litter system is genuinely life changing, and that’s not even an exaggeration. It’s improved both our lives re: cleaning and Miss Kitty’s re: using it. All the essay-length, updated-multiple-times reviews on here aren’t lying. It’s been about a year since we got it and it’s been worth every penny. So here’s my essay length review.Miss Kitty likes to pee in the same corner every. single. time. Without fail. That meant that when we still used regular litter, that corner was always extra gross. Didn’t matter how well the litter was designed to clump. Also the older Miss Kitty gets, the less she cared about keeping her feet clean, so she was tracking grody footprints everywhere. She also had litter stuck in the fur between her paws which couldn’t have been comfortable. And she was kicking the litter out and then grippin’ it in her paws, so she was tracking litter everywhere, no matter what we did to clean. Since she likes to sleep on our bed all the time, we were getting desperate for a solution.So I went searching and came across this (I think from a Reddit suggestion iirc). I read a bunch of the reviews, the multiple updates, the photos, the hacks. It sounded too good to be true. Good news: it’s true.The major pros:• The lack of smell. Oh man, that right there is one of the biggest pluses. Cat ammonia permeates everything and I hate the idea that I could become nose blind to it and then have family or friends over who could smell it. Scented cat litter was never an option because then Miss Kitty would walk by all perfumed but all that did was make me think of the fact that she just got out of the litter box. Ew. And then later that turned into scented cat ammonia when cleaning it out. Ew. This system is - somehow - 98% scent free, even when it’s time to change a batch of pellets. Truly magical.• The near lack of “ew” factor when cleaning out the poop or pee pad. You know what I mean, re: regular litter.• The pellets are advertised to work for 4 weeks, but we usually get about 6 weeks out of each batch. Each batch uses 3.5lbs of pellets and that looks like it isn’t enough if you’re coming from regular litter, but since it doesn’t need to absorb liquid, it’s definitely sufficient. They also mask the poop smell impressively well. There’s a little odor while it’s fresh, but the zeolite pellets dry it out quickly.• The pee pads are magical. I’ve used “magical” a few times, but I really mean it. Absolutely ZERO cat urine smell, no matter how full or even over-full they get. I don’t know how they do it. Based on plenty of other reviews, I’m pretty sure every new Breeze system owner accidentally lets a pad go too long at least once until it’s swimming in urine (gross) and then has a mixed bag of emotions of “ew!” and “how is there no smell??” We have to change the pad on a schedule because there will be no odor to remind us. With one cat, we change it once a week (the night before trash day).• Both the pads and pellets are available locally in PetSmart and Petco. No generics though.• Clean paws! No more disgusting footprints in the hallway. Her toe beans have never looked so perfectly clean and pink. She’s 20yo, so anything to help her hygiene helps her out.• No more litter everywhere. The pellets are too big for her to grip in her paws, so she can’t track them beyond the immediate vicinity of the litter box.• It’s easier to keep an eye on her health. Looking at her poop and seeing the color of her pee are good insights into her health and if anything changes, especially as she gets older. Also it’s really easy to use a dip strip indicator by just pressing it into the pee pad right after she gets out of the box.• The cover that flips back is great, compared to having to unclip the entire top each time. Makes cleaning out the poops easy, but keeps things covered and out of sight. It’s a small detail but it’s helpful.• Since there’s no regular litter with clay to conceal, the dried poop can just be tossed down the toilet. Makes it easier to clean more often.• Since the pellets dry everything out quickly and the pee is absorbed by a pad in the lower tray, the box just needs to be washed in between each batch of pellets, so about every 6 weeks.• Even with buying brand name pads and pellets, the annual cost of litter stuff is way, way lower than having to buy litter frequently.• Miss Kitty adapted to the new system right away. Fortunately, she’s never been picky when I’ve changed litter brands. I did a couple things for the first week to encourage her transition. I mixed a little regular litter in with the pellets for the familiar smell and feel. That shuffled out to the pee pad below over the week and then she was just left with the pellets. I put a couple old poops from the used litter in the new box, again to bring a familiar scent to the new system. And I left her old box out too for a week, but I left the used litter in there to discourage use of it. She was a little unsure the first evening, but after the first use, she never went back in her old box.• For people who are disabled/limited by lifting weight, picking up a 7lbs bag of pellets is way more feasible than 20-40lbs of litter or a box of used litter.Cons:• The Tidy Cats pellets and pads are pricey. That said, they are worth it for how well and how long they work. Some reviews talk about washing the pellets to extend their lifespan. I tried it just once out of curiosity, using the pet enzyme cleaner and a thorough rinse. It’s just not worth the gross hassle so I never did it again. Tidy Cat must have a stranglehold on the pellets because I can’t find an off brand, and if I somehow do, they’re back ordered or “we don’t know if these will be available again.” I wouldn’t think zeolite (the mineral they’re made of) pellets would be hard to find a generic of, but I’ve yet to. Even the pet stores don’t have their own generic versions. I haven’t tried generic pee pads yet, but the Tidy Cat ones work so well I’m fine with paying a bit more.• The pellets can be noisy. Miss Kitty loves rustlin’ in the box and those hard pellets against hard plastic can be fairly loud. I think she paws at the litter more now because she’s trying to cover the poop but it pretty much sits on top of the pellets no matter what she does. We tried getting the equine pine pellets that are dirt cheap and supposed to break down once they’re wet. But Miss Kitty apparently loved shredding those so much she was spending extra time rustlin’. All we ended up with was a messy pile of pine powder that was too much to fit in the lower tray. We gave up after a week. So we’re back to the louder, more expensive Tidy Cat pellets, but the pros vastly outweigh the cons. We got used to the sound in about a week or two.• Stepping on a pellet with your heel can feel like stepping on a Lego. With all her rustlin’ Miss Kitty still kicks litter out of the box. We have a litter pad outside the box - the kind with sizable holes and two layers so it’s easy to clean up (got it on Amazon too) - and that really helps catch them, but there’s still usually a few in the vicinity. We just have to be on top of cleaning the loose ones up. Also pointing the box opening towards the wall instead of the walkway really helped. The tray can be flipped to open either way - same direction or opposite direction of the box opening.Never thought I’d be evangelizing cat litter, but here I am. TL;DR just get it. You won’t regret it.

I had been using a clumping litter (very popular brand), however the dust was getting to me, and there was always a mess outside the box with tracking. Also, even tho it was unscented, I was always aware of the litter box in the bathroom and I'm pretty sensitive to smells. A friend recommended this and used the term 'game changer'. These days that term is SO overused, but in this case, my pal got this right. First off, zero dust. Second off... no smells. Nada!!! I waited a full week before writing this and will change the wee wee pad tomorrow, but you would never know a cat had peed! My cat unfortunately is one of those who won't cover his poo, so I have to remove it asap as it can get stinky, but it's not the fault of the litter, my cat just has stinky poo lol! I HIGHLY recommend giving this a go.

I bought this litter box system a few months ago and must say, I just purchased another in the XL size. I have two cats (brothers). One is diabetic and urinates all the time so I bought this regular size one for my other cat. It didn't snap together as easily as I would've liked, but I managed after a little bit. I love it! Changing the pads by sliding out the tray is super easy and I've just now decided I will change the litter after having the original batch in there since I put it together. All that's there is the solid waste which you just scoop out. I had recently purchased a different box with a tray which is fine, but once used the tray doesn't easily pull out and it uses regular litter which is still a pain in the neck to clean and change. This system works well for me. While the pellet litter might be more expensive, it lasts a whole lot longer than regular litter. This is a keeper for me.

tldr; Three stars for non-breezy litter issues. In fairness, these same issues apply to the non-hooded version, but they're still problems. Find me a great pellet solution and it's five stars. Average: four. I erred on the side of length for those of us who want more details.I've started to write this review a number of times, but never hit 'submit.' It's a hard product to review, because most parts are great, and the critical part needs negotiating. In general (between the 2 available models) this system is a fabulous idea. My cats much prefer hooded litter boxes, so I was pleased when Purina finally introduced this version. It's well made of sturdy plastic. It's a ... uh, breeze, to put together. I can remove the hood and put it back on easily, and the securing part hasn't gotten looser or broken yet (I'd have to work hard to break it). The hinged hood that allows the opening to swing up without having to take the top off makes cleaning much, much easier compared to litter boxes with solid hoods (my former go-to for years). Overall, the box has a lower profile, yet my big, rough-and-tumble, cat has no problem fitting inside.To assemble, put a "diaper" pad in the lower tray to catch the urine that flows over the stone-like, pellet "litter." (Amazon brand pads are every bit as good and are cheaper.) Expect to go through at least two pads a week. The tray easily slides. Put the slatted-litter-holder on top, then the hood atop that, attaching it on both sides. The set comes with a scoop that fits unobtrusively on the side. I can't manage the lifting and crouching to clean out clay-filled, heavier litter boxes anymore, so this is like a dream come true. Because I can just swivel the hood open, I am far more inclined to clean it daily, which helps keep odors down.The biggest problem is the pellet litter you're supposed to use with the system. It's made from a non-porous, heavy, tube shaped, stone-like material. Each piece is about 3/4 of an inch. (Some people worry the pieces can pose a choking hazard to cats.) The idea is urine flows over the pellets, through the slats, onto the absorbent pad underneath, and as long as you change the pad frequently, you greatly reduce odor. Poop sits on the top so you can simply scoop it out and dispose of it (I use a small, hooded trash can).In theory, you don't need a deep layer of pellets (and boy, are they heavy and expensive!), and you only need to replace them about once a month. They look attractive in the system. Beyond that, they're a big headache. The pellets may not soak up urine, but they do get coated with it, and the only way to deal with that is to rinse them off. This leaves you with a litter tray full of slow-drying, wet pellets. Or you don't rinse them, and the urine odor builds up and you change the pellets more often.Poop doesn't just slip and slide off the pellets. Even if your cat produces properly formed, properly soft stools, you are simply going to throw away all the pellets that stick to it. If your cat is a coverer, then you lose even more pellets. My bag just doesn't last a month. Because you don't have many pellets in the tray, you've got nothing to push against to make sure all the stool makes it onto the scoop. So 1/2 the poop drops back into the litter (pick it up again) or you use the side of the tray, which sorta works, but you'll want to clean the sides to remove smears.Where the litter part of the system really lets you down is when your cat develops a case of diarrhea or gets wormed. You're dealing with slush, in these situations, and the pellets truly don't work. Some slush will slip over the pellets and onto the urine pad. Some slush will stick to the slats. Most of the slush stays on top of and between the pellets. You can't leave soiled pellets in the tray. Forget the odor, forget the smearing on slats and sides, you may be trying to get rid of worms and would prefer not to reinfect your cat (unlikely, but it can happen). When I've been left with this situation, I take the litter tray to the tub, use the hand-held shower head to rinse everything, return the tray and set a fan nearby in the hopes they'll dry faster. Nope. This part isn't a breeze.As for dust problems, none. The pellets I got have absolutely no fragrance (which I preferred). However, one cat grab the pellets and tosses them out. So I still wind up inadvertently stepping on something. And with diarrhea, my two, both neurotic coverers, simply can't avoid tracking some.I've since tried farm-store pine pellet animal bedding. It absolutely works better than the stone pellets, and it's "greener." The wet ones break down into sawdust and sift down to your urine tray. It's not a huge loss when the pine pellets stick to any variety of stool ... I can get a 40lb bag for $5.00 locally. The piney smell doesn't last as long for me as it seems to for some people, but for that price I don't even mind changing the whole litter tray once a week. Trouble is, one of my cats finds the pine pellets unworthy of consideration.I'm looking for another solution for the picky cat. I'm about to try Yesterday's News, also by Purina, much less expensive than the stones and still "green." If I could just find a good pellet solution, I'd be giving this system five stars. Guess how many fingers I have crossed right now?